Time switch



March 9,1943. Q HALL' 2,313,064

TIME SWITCH Filed Nov. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Shee'fi 1 1 a 1 I 5 9 i Q) Q 17 6 T? H 10 I Ha u ATTORNEY Mamh 9, 1943. H. c. HALL 2,313,064

TIME SWITCH Filed Nov. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fi'arry 6 Hail ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 9, 1943 TIME SWITCH Harry 0. Hall, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to P. R.

Mallory & 00., Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application November 2, 1940, Serial No. 363,967

(or. zoo-as) 11 Claims.

struction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and methods of manufacture and operation referred to above or which will be brought out and exemplified in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, including the illustrations in the draw- .ngs.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view with the cover removed of a clock motor driven time switch embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is an end view with parts cut away to show the mechanical details;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figme 3;

Figure 5 is a face view of the inside of one of the insulating plates comprising part or the switch housing; 7

Figures 5, 7 and 8 illustrate details of a modiled construction; and

Figure 9 is an exploded view of a modified terminal construction.

The present invention finds its principal appli- :ation in a timing switch driven by a clock motor ar the like and having a manual control knob for setting purposes. Such a switch finds applica- ;ion as a timing means for automatic washing nachines, stoves and the like. The switch con- ;acts are of novel design adapted to embody a :am following member and contacting portion tlld are constructed to have unusual strength ilid rigidity. Other features of the switch mechanism will be brought out in the following de- ;ailed description.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention 5 described herein, it is contemplated that con- ;iderable variation may be made. in the method if procedure and the construction of parts with- :ut departing from the spirit of the invention. In ;he following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for conrenicnce, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings the time switch mechanism illustrated comprises an electric clock motor ID, a gear train ll driven thereby and a shaft l2 carrying a series of cams l3 driven by the gear train. A series of cam following contact arms l4 are mounted upon insulating plates 15 comprising part of the switch housing and engage the cams so as to be controlled thereby. A manual control knob 16 is mounted upon the end of shaft 12 for manual setting of the shaft with its associated cams.

Considering the structure in greater detail the clock motor it may be mechanical or electrical but is preferably a small synchronous electric motor such as is quite extensively used for clocks and timing apparatus at the present time. A pair of electric terminals i1 mounted on the outside of the casing of clock motor it afiord a means of connecting it to a suitable A. C. source.

Gear train ll may preferably be the gear train shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 333,730, filed May 7, 1946, now Patent 2,227,133 issued December 31, 1940. As described in that application the clock motor drives a mechanism comprising part of the gear train which stores up energy of the motor for a predetermined period and then utilizes that energy to rapidly advance the last gear oi the train for a short distance. Pinion iii, shown projecting from the case containing gear train ii, is mounted on the shaft of the last gear 60 of the train to rotate therewith and hence is also periodically advanced a short distance. Gear 19 rigidly attached to the inner end of shaft l2 meshes with th pinion l8 and hence is intermittently advanced thereby.

It will thus be evident that cams i3 which are rigidly mounted on shaft i2 are periodicallyadvanced through a few degrees of their rotation by the clock motor and gear train mechanism. The rigid mounting of cams I3 on shaft i2 is shown most clearly in the'section of Figure 4. As here evident the cams are spaced apart by sleeves 20 and clamped to rotate with the shaft by clamp nut 21 and annularly grooved sleeve 22.

. Cams l3 are of sheet insulating material such as sheet Bakelite or the like.

The frame supporting and enclosing the various parts comprises a motor clamping plate 23 clamped against the rear face of motor l0 and the gear train housing 24 clamped to the front face of the clock motor housing, the two being clamped together by clamping bolts 25 and thus opening the desired circuit. When the cams have been set to the desired position for the start of a cycle the shaft I2 is pushed inward to reengage gear I8 with pinion l8. Gear 6|! and pinion ll are slidably mounted on shaft BI and normally are held at the outermost position by pinion l8 not be in a relation to enable meshing when shaft i2 is pushed in, the gears slide back on the shaft 61 but snap into mesh as soon as the drive motor has advanced them to meshing position. Pinion I8 is driven by gear 60 through a pair of leaf spring pawls 63 but should anyone attempt to advance came it without first pulling shaft I! out spring pawls i3 wfll permit relative rotation and hence prevent damage to the gear train.

In the operation of the switch the cams are advanced intermittently by the gear mechanism H and notches 46 are brought opposite cam following arms 31 in a sequence determined by theposition of the notches on their respective cams. Rapid operation of the contacts is obtained by the periodic advance, as cams 53 are momentarily advanced rapidly, thus rapidly lifting the cam speed reducing gear arrangement driving gear I9 mounted on shaft [2 through pinion i8. If the previously described arrangement is used shaft ii is periodically rapidly rotated through a predetermined angle and remains at rest between the periods of rotation. If the arrangement shown in Figure 6 is used the shaft l2 rotates slowly and continuously.

The improvement illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 is applicable to either arangement and comprises the use of an additional small cam 56 mounted on a shaft which is rotated comparatively rapidly by the motor [0. Shaft 51 may preferably comprise the shaft upon which the first driving pinion of the gear train is mounted and may comprise the armature shaft of the motor E0 or be driven by it. Small cam 56 is provided with a single notch 58. The cam is supported closely adjacent one of the large cam discs 3 with its edge aligned with the edge of cam [3 at one point, that point being the point of contact with cam following arm 31. Arm 3'! is oi. sufficient width to rest upon the peripheries of compression coil spring 62. Should gear I! and large cam i3 and small cam 56 simultaneously.

Since large cam l3 advances slowly or intermittently the cam controlled contacts would or-' dinarily be closed for a substantial time interval whenever one of notches 46 comes opposite cam following arm 31. The present arrangement provides for a more rapid make-and-break of the contacts where such is required. This is accomplished in the following manner: The small cam 56 rotates much more'rapidly than large cam l3. When a notch 46 in large cam l3 comes opposite cam following arm 31 the arm is not permitted to fall into the notch until notch 58 in small cam 56 also comes opposite the cam following arm. When this occurs the contacts are momentarily closed but since the cam 58 is rotating rapidly the contacts are closed only mometarily and are then reopened by the further travel of cam 56. By the time notch 58 again comes opposite arm 31, however, large cam H has advanced its notch 46 out of position for cooperation with arm 31, and hence the contacts remain open. Where intermittent advance of cum I 3 is obtained from the gear mechanism it is preferred that small cam 56 be rotated one revolution for each advance of cam I3.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A time switch comprising a drive"motor, a gear train driven thereby, and a'cam shaft carrying the last gear of said train, cams on said shaft and electric contacts controlled thereby, manual control means for said shaft, said shaft being slidable longitudinally to bring about disengagement of the last gear of said train from the preceding gear thereof and thereby enable manual control of said cams, and a two position index mechanism for indexing said shaft in or out of gear. V

2. A time switch comprislngraadrive motor and agear traindi'iveii'the reby, the 'last gear of said train being longitudinally slidable along its axis to a meshing position where it is capable of meshing with the preceding gear and a nonmeshing position where it is incapable of so meshing, manual control means for longitudinally sliding said last gear, the preceding gear of said train being longitudinally slidable along its axis between a meshing position, for meshing with said last gear when said last gear is also in meshing position, and a non-meshing position without disengagement from the preceding drive means, spring means urging said preceding gear into meshing position, cams driven by said last gear and electric contacts controlled by said cams.

3. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a gear train driven thereby, a cam shaft having cams thereon driven by thelast gear of said train, and electric contacts'controlled by said cams, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to uncouple the drive connection between said shaft and the gear train and index means for indexing said shaft in either coupled or uncoupled relation with said gear train.

4. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a gear train driven thereby, a cam shaft having cams thereon driven by the last gear of said train, and electric contacts controlled by said cams, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to uncouple the drive connection between said shaft and the gear train and index means for indexing said shaft in either coupled or uncoupled relation with said gear train, said index means comprising a sleeve on said shaft having a plurality of circumferential grooves therein and a stationary spring pressed projection normally resting in one of said grooves.

5. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a gear train driven thereby, a cam shaft driven by the last gear of said train and at least one cam plate mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to uncouple the drive connection between said shaft and the gear train, an index device for indexing said shaft in coupled and uncoupled positions, a cam following electric contact control engaging the edge of said cam plate in both the coupled and uncoupled position of said shaft, and a second contact control means actuated by axial movement of said plate.

6. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a gear train driven thereby, a cam shaft driven by the last gear of said train and at least one cam plate mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to uncouple the drive connection between said shaft and the gear train, an index device for indexing said shaft in coupled and uncoupled positions, a cam following electric contact control engaging the edge of said cam plate in both the coupled and uncoupled position of said shaft, and a second contact control means actuated by axial movement of said plate, said second control means comprising a contact carrying spring arm ,having a portion thereof engaging the face of said plate.

7. A time switch comprising a. drive motor, a

gear train driven thereby, and a cam' driven by said gear train, a second cam driven at a different speed by said gear train and electric contacts simultaneously under control of both said cams whereby actuation of said contacts in one direction is possible only when permitted by both cams jointly.

8. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a speed reducing gear train driven thereby and a fast and slow cam both driven by said gear train, said fast cam being mounted on one of the more rapidly rotating parts of said train and said slow cam one more slowly rotating part, a cam following arm engaging the cam faces of both said cams to be controlled jointly thereby and a pair of electric contacts controlled by said earn.

9. Means for obtaining a short contact operation period in a timing switch which comprises a timing cam having a cut out portion on its cam surface and means for advancing said cam at a predetermined rate, a cam following arm engag-- ing said cam surface and electric contacts controlled thereby, and a second more rapidly rotating cam having a cut out portion on its cam surface and means for rotating said cam, said cam following arm also similarly engaging said second cams surface, whereby said arm is operwhichever is manually selected, the preceding gear of said train being longitudinally slidable along its axis'between a meshing position, for

meshing with said last gear when said last gear is also in meshing position, and a non-meshing position without disengagement from the preceding drive means, spring means urging said preceding gear into meshing position, cams driven by said last gear and electric contacts controlled by said cams.

11. A time switch comprising a drive motor, a

gear train driven thereby, a cam shaft having cams thereon driven by the last gear of said train and electric contacts controlled by said cams, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to uncouple the drive connection between said shaft and the gear train, index means for indexing said shaft in either coupled or uncoupled relation with said gear train, and a pair of co-operating electric contacts operated by movement of ,s aid shaft longitudinally.

- HARRY C. HALL. 

